The South secedes  The South wanted to secede (break away) from the US.  South Carolina broke away first, followed by Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.  These states formed their own government called the Confederacy, separate from the US.

 The new Confederate government wrote a constitution that supported states rights and slavery  Jefferson Davis was elected the Confederacy president  The Confederate government took control of most forts and military property of the US that was in the South

The Union  The states that remained loyal and part of the US government were called the Union  The Union was able to keep control of Fort Sumter, South Carolina

How it begins  The Confederates called for the Union to surrender Fort Sumter.  The Confederates fired on the fort on April 12, 1861 when they did not surrender.  With little food and water for the troops, the Union surrendered.

 Lincoln asked Union states to supply soldiers to stop the Confederates  The rest of the Southern states, angry with Lincoln for calling for troops, decided to break away also.

Why fight the war?  The North was fighting to keep the Union together  The South was fighting to preserve their way of life, state’s rights, and slavery.

War Strategies The Union Blockade – block the South from shipping cotton to Europe. This is their main way of getting money for the war Cut southern states in two by capturing land along the Mississippi River Anaconda Plan – attack the South from the east and west and squeeze it like a snake The Confederates

War Strategies The Union Blockade – block the South from shipping cotton to Europe. This is their main way of getting money for the war Cut southern states in two by capturing land along the Mississippi River Anaconda Plan – attack the South from the east and west and squeeze it like a snake The Confederates Wait for the North to get tired and give up The South will fight more fiercely Get help from the British who needed Southern cotton

The Early Battles  First Battle of Bull Run – Manassas Junction, Virginia. Confederate General Jackson tells troops to hold their place “like a stone wall”. Confederates win!  Battle of Antietam – Sharpsburg, Maryland. Union Wins! Important victory for the North because Great Britain ended its support of the South leaving the South to fight on its own.

 Many new technologies affected the war  Rifles could shoot farther and better  Railroads moved supplies quickly  Confederate submarines moved around Union blockades  Hand grenades were new  Iron clad ships could not be destroyed  New technology made the war more deadly

War Life Life was hard for soldiers  Marched up to 25 miles a day carrying supplies  Thirsty in the summer and freezing in the winter  Confederate soldiers wore out shoes and fought bare foot  Disliked the food supplies  Many died of disease because Dr.’s didn’t know about germs and infections

Lincoln changes goal  Lincoln decides to make the abolition of slavery a goal for the war  He issued the Emancipation Proclamation which freed all slaves in the confederate states at war with the Union  Did not end slavery in areas not at war with the Union

African Americans in the war  Free African Americans, like Frederick Douglass, called African Americans to join the Union’s fight  In the beginning of the war African Americans could only be cooks, servants, and other workers  They received less pay and had to pay for their own uniforms, unlike white soldiers

 The 54 th Colored Regiment was one of the first black troops. After a tough battle at Fort Wagner that was fought bravely, Northerners changed their minds about blacks in the war  Congress finally voted to give African American soldiers equal pay

The role of women in the war  Women ran farms and businesses while men were gone fighting  Became teachers and office workers  Many became spies  Became nurses  Gathered supplies for troops  Clara Barton organized the American Association of the Red Cross that still helps people in times of need  They sewed clothing  Rolled bandages  Sent extra food to the troops

The war goes on  The Battle of Gettysburg – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. A 3 day battle in which the Union held strong. The Union wins!  It was after this battle that Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address. In this speech he spoke of the need to be a united nation and to end slavery

 The Battle of Vicksburg – Union general Ulysses S. Grant implemented a blockade bringing Confederates to near starvation. The South surrendered. The Union Wins!

 Sherman’s “March to the Sea” – General William Sherman joins Grant in taking Atlanta from the Confederates, and burned most of the city.  Sherman moved toward Savannah, Georgia destroying houses, railroads, barns, and fields  Sherman continued to move to South Carolina destroying much of the state.  Sherman continued to move north.

 Appomattox Court House – Virginia. April 9, Generals Robert E. Lee (Confederate) and Ulysses S. Grant (Union) meet at the court house to discuss the South’s surrender.  The US most destructive war in history was over. THE UNION WINS THE WAR!  Lincoln wants the country to be rebuilt.